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Connecticut  bulletin  32 


GIFT 
AUG  Id  1919 


EDUCATIONAL  ENQUIRY 
North  Stonington 

May    1916 


h\  c. 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcinive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.archive.org/details/educationalenquiOOconnrich 


2 — Village  or  Center 

3— Closed 

4— Boom  Bridge 

5 — Shunoe 

6— Bloody  Sixth 

7— Ashwillett 


8-1 

9—  >  Closed 
10- J 

11— Pendleton  Hill 
12— Closed 
13— Laurel  Glen 
14-Clark's  Falls 
15— North  West  Corner 
or 
West  Ashwillett 


NORTH  STONINGTON 

This  report  was  written  by  Mr  G  C  Swift  an  agent  of  the  state 
board  of  education.  It  is  based  on  many  visits  to  the  schools 
conferences  with  the  committee  and  reports  of  the  school  conimit- 
tee  to  the  state  board  of  education 

The  inspector  read  chapter  v  of  this  report  to  two  of  the  three 
members  of  the  North  Stoningt,on  town  school  committee  in  March 
1916 

A  summary  of  the  necessary  repairs  was  submitted  to  the  com- 
mitee  in  June 

State  supervision  was  withdrawn  in  August.  A  typewritten 
copy  of  the  whole  report  was  mailed  to  each  member  of  the  com- 
mittee on  September  20th 

The  last  of  September  the  following  postal  was  sent  to  each 
voter  in  the  town 

Postal  card 
No   1  9-16-400 

Public  schools 

State  board  of  education 

Room  42     Capitol     Hartford 

North  Stonington 

The  state  board  of  education  has  withdrawn  supervision  from 
North  Stonington  because  the  town  failed  to  do  its  share  for  the 
children 

It  failed 

1  to  pay  wages  sufficient  to  secure  good  teachers 

2  to  provide  good  textbooks 

3  to  purchase  good  reading  matter 

4  to  equip  its  schools 

5  to  buy  necessary  apparatus 

6  to  maintain  its  schoolhouses  and  privies  in  good  repair 


Correspondence  invited 


Chas  D  Hine     Secretary 
G  C  Swift    Inspector 


The  inspector  attended  the  town  meeting  the  following  week 
and  by  request  explained  to  the  voters  the  meaning  of  the  post- 
card 

The  town  meeting  voted  an  increase  in  the  tax  for  schools  from 
four  to  six  mills  and  elected  a  new  school  committee.  The  voice 
of  the  people  was  unmistakably  for  better  schools  and  for  the 
restoration  of  supervision 

Upon  application  of  the  town  school  committee  supervision  was 
restored  in  October 

The  town  is  improving  its  buildings  and  equipment.  Apparently 
it  is  setting  about  the  solution  of  its  educational  problems  with  the 
purpose  to  succeed 

Every  aid  which  the  state  board  of  education  can  furnish  will 
be  furnished 


404092 


NORTH  STONINGTON 

CHAPTER   i 

Explanation  of  the  survey 

The  survey  of  the  educational  conditions  of  the  town  of  North 
Stonington  was  undertaken  by  the  state  supervising  agent  in  re- 
sponse to  an  invitation  from  the  secretary  of  the  state  board  of 
education 

The  value  of  a  school  system  supported  by  the  state  must  be 
measured  in  terms  of  service  to  the  state.  The  state  is  interested 
in  service  to  the  community  and  through  service  to  the  community 
in  service  to  the  state.  Opinions  among  men  differ  when  their 
judgments  are  based  upon  different  facts  or  too  few  or  a  dififerent 
arrangement  of  the  same  facts  concerning  the  matter  in  question. 
Difference  of  opinion  disappears  when  all  men  look  at  all  the 
facts  bearing  upon  the  subject 

The  first  object  of  this  survey  is  to  so  state  the  basic  and  signifi- 
cant facts  concerning  educational  conditions  in  the  town  that 
agreement  as  to  proper  educational  policies  may  be  derived 

Bearing  these  facts  in  mind,  the  second  object  of  this  survey  is 
to  suggest  possibilities  for  improving  the  opportunities  of  the 
children  in  the  town 

The  surveyor  has  visited  the  schools  on  an  average  twice  a 
month  during  the  past  year  and  has  worked  with  the  teachers  at 
their  schools  and  at  monthly  teachers'  meetings  until  he  has  be- 
come familiar  with  their  problems  and  the  conditions  under  which 
they  work 

All  figures  used  in  this  survey  have  beea  obtained  from  official 
documents  or  reports  which  are  open  to  inspection.  All  descrip- 
tions of  school  property  and  equipment  were  written  after  per- 
sonal inspection  by  the  surveyor 

The  recommendations  are  made  after  a  careful  study  of  facts 
mentioned.  They  cover  the  most  salient  needs  of  the  schools  at 
the  present  time  and  suggest  a  constructive  program  for  the  future 
development  and  improvement  of  the  system  by  training  and  se- 
lecting teachers.  It  is  not  perhaps  to  be  expected  that  the  town 
will  carry  out  all  recommendations  at  once  but  there  is  no  reason 
why  they  should  not  do  so  in  two  or  three  years.  If  they  make  no 
advancement  it  will  be  evident  that  the  town  does  not  desire  to 
furnish  its  children  necessary  and  rightful  school  accommodations 


CHAPTER  11 

The  town 

North  Stonington  situated  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  Con- 
necticut is  surrounded  by  other  similar  agricultural  towns.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  state  of  Rhode  Island.  The  town  of 
Stonington  is  between  it  and  the  Sound.  Several  streams,  too 
small  for  purposes  of  transportation,  flow  south  through  it  and 
furnish  some  power  but  too  little  to  be  of  much  commercial  value. 
While  the  surface  is  in  general  hilly  and  much  of  it  is  rocky  there 
are  many  good  farms 

6 


There  are  few  improved  public  roads  and  no  steam  road  passes 
through.  A  trolley  line,  connecting  Norwich  and  Westerly,  runs 
through  the  southern  section,  carrying  passengers,  freight  an4  ex- 
press.    Telephone  service  is  common  in  most  sections  of  the  town 

The  principal  and  almost  only  industry  is  farming.  There  was 
a  time  when  small  factories  flourished  at  the  Center  but  that  is 
now  past.  There  is  a  sawmill  near  the  Center  and  at  Clark's  Falls 
there  is  a  felt  mill,  also  a  birch  extracting  mill.  Several  small 
grocery  stores  are  scattered  about  the  town 


CHAPTER  in 
The  administration  of  the  schools 

The  schools  of  North  Stonington  are  organized  in  accordance 
with  the  general  statutes  of  the  state  of  Connecticut.  There  were 
originally  fifteen  districts  but  in  accordance  with  the  public  acts 
of  1909,  chapter  146,  all  school  districts  were  abolished  and  the 
entire  control  of  the  schools  placed  in  the  hands  of  one  town 
school  committee 

This  committee  consists  of  three  members  elected  annually  for 
the  term  of  one  year.  It,  therefore,  is  not  a  continuing  board  and 
has  all  the  weaknesses  of  such  bodies.  Its  term  of  office  is  too 
short  to  start  and  complete  an  important  work  and  therefore  a 
shifting  of  responsibility  from  one  group  of  men  to  another  group 
with  its  consequent  inefficiency  is  permitted 

As  long  as  the  school  committee  has  confidence  in  the  ability 
and  good  judgment  of  its  supervising  agent  it  should  support  him 
in  his  efforts  to  improve  and  advance  the  interests  of  the  schools. 
When  it  has  not  this  confidence  it  should  take  such  steps  as  are 
necessary  to  have  him  replaced  by  some  one  in  whose  ability  and 
good  judgment  it  has  confidence.  The  state  of  Connecticut  pays 
out  annually  money  for  the  supervision  of  schools  in  the  small 
towns  of  the  state,  requesting  such  supervision.  These  towns 
should  not  request  the  state  to  make  such  expenditures  of  public 
funds  unless  they  are  willing  to  use  the  supervision  thus  given. 
It  is  a  waste  to  pay  for  a  superintendent's  services  and  then  to  dis- 
regard his  advice  and  judgment 

The  large  problems  for  which  a  school  committee  is  elected  are 
the  final  decision  as  to  proposed  expansion  and  developments  of 
the  system;  the  presentation  of  the  needs  of  the  schools  before 
the  people  interested  and  paying  the  bills;  the  larger  problems  of 
finance  and  the  approval  of  expenses  incurred;  the  final  election 
of  teachers  examined  and  recommended  by  the  superintendent  and 
the  fixing  of  their  salaries;  the  selection  of  school  sites  and  the 
erection  and  care  of  school  buildings;  and  the  adoption  of  all 
school  policies,  including  transportation  of  scholars  and  consolida- 
tion of  small  schools.  Book  and  supply  agents,  applicants  for 
teacher's  positions,  disgruntled  teachers  and  all  others  seeking 
favors  in  the  schools  should  be  referred  to  the  supervisor.  In  such 
matters  as  outlining  courses  of  study,  selecting  texts  and  supple- 
mentary books,  passing  on  the  competency  of  instruction  or  the 
efficiency  of  service  of  teachers,  action  should  be  based  only  on 
the  recommendation  of  the  superintendent  whom  the  committee 
has  asked  to  attend  to  such  matters.     This  leaves  the  committee 

7 


free  to  attend  to  the  main  business  and  frees  them  from  the  per- 
sonal pulls  and  influences  which  beset  any  lay  school  committee 
attempting  to  exercise  expert  functions  for  the  execution  of  which 
it  has  a  duly  appointed  officer.  The  school  business  of  North 
Stonington  is  an  important  business  and  the  purpose  for  which 
the  schools  are  created  and  maintained  is  the  proper  education  of 
the  school  population  of  the  town.  They  do  not  exist  to  aflford 
positions  for  teachers  or  for  the  employment  of  other  individuals. 
Positions  and  employment  of  individuals  should  be  kept  purely  in- 
cidental so  that  the  best  possible  education  of  the  children  for 
whom  the  schools  exist  may  be  carried  on  under  the  best  possible 
conditions 

The  voters  and  taxpayers  of  the  town  of  North  Stonington  at 
their  town  meetings  have  not  expressed  a  desire  for  liberal  treat- 
ment of  the  schools  and  have  not  encouraged  the  school  committee 
to  accept  the  full  services  of  their  supervisors.  For  this  reason 
though  the  committee  nominally  has  permitted  the  state  super- 
visors to  assume  many  of  the  responsibilities  rightfully  belonging 
to  that  office,  it  has  in  most  cases  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  reports  of 
conditions  and  needs  of  the  schools  the  improvement  and  satisfac- 
tion of  which  were  necessary  for  their  successful  and  efficient 
management  and  development 

The  committee  has  retained  the  policy  of  examining  and  elect- 
ing teachers  usually  calling  upon  the  supervisor  when  it  is  neces- 
sary to  secure  a  teacher  not  residing  within  the  town.  If  the 
committee  wish  to  make  any  division  of  this  duty  no  doubt  they 
could  better  select  out  of  town  teachers  than  those  residing  within 
the  town  when  they  are  subject  to  personal  influences  and  personal 
and  party  pulls.  The  responsibility,  however,  of  examining  and 
recommending  for  election  all  teachers  should  always  be  with  the 
supervisor 

Usually  the  best  of  personal  relations  have  existed  between  the 
several  members  of  the  committee  and  the  supervisor  which  under 
favorable  conditions  should  tend  to  most  efficient  work.  However, 
the  lack  of  a  common  purpose  and  the  committee's  inability  to 
accept  reports  and  to  act  on  recommendations  has  tended  to 
greatly  reduce  the  eflfectiveness  of  the  supervision  for  which  the 
state  has  been  paying  since  1909 

Classification  and  progress  of  pupils 

POPULATION   OF  NORTH  STONINGTON 

Like  similar  neighboring  towns  the  population  of  the  town  of 
North  Stonington  has  decreased  since  its  incorporation 

Table  i  shows  the  population  of  North  Stonington  and  four 
neighboring  agricultural  towns  since  1810.  The  increase  of  popu- 
lation in  manufacturing  towns  has  accompanied  the  decrease  in 
agricultural  towns 

TABLE   i 

1810  1860  1910 

No  Stonington            2524  1913  1100 

Preston                 3284  2092  1917 

Ledyard                 1871  (1840)    1615  1079 

Lisbon                  1128  1252  824 

Voluntown               1016  1055  779 

8 


DISTRIBUTION   OF   POPULATION 

North  Stonington  is  large  in  area  but  not  in  population  (Table 
ii).  Such  thinly  populated  towns  must  necessarily  expend  more 
money  per  pupil  for  their  schools  to  properly  equip  them  than 
towns  with  a  more  dense  population  unless  they  can  solve  the  prob- 
lem of  transportation  and  maintain  only  a  few^  large  schools  in 
central  districts 

TABLE  ii 


area  m  acres        ] 

population 

acres  per 

1910 

citizen 

No  Stonington 

36316 

1100 

37.01 

Voluntown 

25640 

779- 

32.9 

Ledyard 

25952       ^. 

1079 

26.5 

Sterling 

17504 

1283 

13.6 

Lisbon 

10966 

824 

13.3 

Preston 

20325 

1917 

10.6 

PROPORTION   OF  CHILDREN   TO   POPULATION 

The  proportion  of  children  to  total  population  of  this  town  is 
large 

TABLE  iii 

population     enumeration  Oct  1914  per  cent 


census  1910 

4-16  years 

No  Stonington 

1100 

271 

24.6 

Lisbon 

824 

-218 

26.4 

Ledyard 

1079 

259 

24.0 

Sterling 

1283 

281 

21.9 

Voluntown 

779 

170 

21.8 

Preston 

1917 

241 

12.5 

Naturally  this  would  lead  one  to  believe  that  the  burden  of  edu- 
cating the  children  of  North  Stonington  is  greater  than  in  other 
towns  where  the  proportion  of  children  to  population  is  less-.  The 
fact  is  that  none  of  the  schools  of  the  town  are  overcrowded  and 
the  only  way  that  this  can  be  a  factor  in  the  expense  is  in  the 
purchase  of  supplies.    This  has  not  been  large  in  North  Stonington 

PROPORTION    OF   ENUMERATED    CHILDREN    REGISTERED   IN    THE   SCHOOLS 

A  comparison  between  school  registration  and"  school  census 
will  show  to  what  extent  the  public  schools  are  reaching  all  chil- 
dren of  school  age.  Table  iv  shows  that  80.4%  of  North  Stoning- 
ton's  enumerated  children  registered  in  schools  in  1914-1915.  This 
is  a  very  poor  showing  when  compared  with  neighboring  towns. 
It  would  indicate  that  the  system  is  not  giving  the  public  service 
intended  by  law  and  for  which  the  state  has  been  annually  pay- 
ing out  money 

TABLE  iv 
PUBLIC  SCHOOL  ENROLLMENT  VERSUS  SCHOOL  CENSUS 

enumerated  October  1914     school  registration      percent 

4-16  years  old  1914-1915 

No   Stonington               271  218  80.4 

Voluntown    •                    170  161  96.7 

Ledyard                            259  212  81.8 

Sterling                            281  244  86.8 

Lisbon                               218  178  81.6 

Preston                            234  186  79.4 

9 


This  is  brought  out  more  clearly  in  a  comparison  of  attendance 
(Table  v).  The  population  has  been  shifting  in  one  district  of  the 
town  of  Ledyard  but  otherwise  the  population  of  these  towns  can- 
not be  called  such.  These  figures,  therefore,  are  not  misleading 
and  clearly  show  that  the  schools  are  not  serving  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  people 

The  causes  of  poor  attendance  will  not  be  taken  up  here  but 
it  may  be  well  to  note  in  passing  that  the  problem  is  not  a  matter 
concerning  the  attendance  officers  only  and  that  attendance  is  an 
indication  of  school  efficiency  or  rather  in  this  case  inefficiency. 
It  would  indicate  that  parents  feel  that  the  schools  are  not  giving 
to  the  children  enough  to  make  it  worth  while  to  send  them  longer. 
This  is  an  inevitable  result  of  low  salaries  and  lack  of  equipment 

TABLE  V 
PERCENTAGE    OF    CHILDREN    REGISTERED    IN    SCHOOLS    IN    AVERAGE    ATTEN- 
DANCE 

registered  in  schools     average  attendance         per  cent  of 

1914-1915  1914-1915  registration 

NoStonington            218  140.2  64.3 

Lisbon                          178  140.9  79.1 

Sterling                       244  191.68  78.5 

Voluntown                   161  122.54  76.1 

Ledyard                       212  135.42  73.3 

Preston                        186  134.18  72.1 

HOLDING -POWER  OF  NORTH   STONINGTON   SCHOOLS 

An  efficient  system  of  public  schools  will  not  only  reach  all  chil- 
dren of  school  age  in  the  town  but  it  will  also  hold  them  until 
either  they  have  completed  the  full  course  or  have  reached  the  age 
limits  of  compulsory  attendance.  Table  vi  shows  a  regular  de- 
crease in  registration  in  the  several  grades  up  to  the  sixth  grade. 
At  this  grade  many  backward  children  who  have  reached  the  age 
limit  of  compulsory  attendance  drop  out.  Normally  each  grade 
should  have  an  equal  registration.  The  tendency  of  the  variation 
to  differ  in  the  same  direction  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the 
schools  are  not  holding  all  the  pupils  until  they  attain  a  legal 
leaving  age 

TABLE  vi 

age  and  grade  distribution  of  pupils  per  cent  of  pupils 

September    1915  in  grades 


ige 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

total 

i 

12 

.9 

6 

4 

1 

32 

18.8 

ii 

4 

9 

8 

3 

1 

1 

27 

15.8 

iii 

1 

3 

6 

10 

6 

1 

27 

15.8 

iv 

3 

6 

2 

1 

25 

14.6 

V 

2 

3 

3 

4 

3 

19 

11.1 

vi 

4 

6 

2 

1 

14 

8.2 

vii 

n'n 

1 

8 
1 

5 
1 

3 
3 

21 
6 

12.2 
3.5 

total   12     14     18    23    22    21     23     18     12      8  171  100. 

PROGRESS  THROUGH  THE  GRADES 

It  is  commonly  agreed  that  the  normal  age  for  entering  the 
first  grade  is  6  years  and  that  the  normal  age  for  completing  the 
eighth  is  14  years.     Children  completing  school  before  14  years  of 

10 


age  are  called  below  normal  age  while  those  completing  the  eighth 
grade  older  than  this  are  called  over  age  or  behind  in  the  grade. 
Pupils  are  over  age  either  because  they  begin  their  schooling  later 
than  the  normal  age  or  fail  to  be  promoted  regularly.  In  order  to 
complete  the  elementary  school  at  the  normal  age  it  is  necessary, 
considering  that  promotion^  are  made  in  September,  for  pupils 
progressing  regularly  to  enter  the  several  grades  within  the  fol- 
lowing age  limits 


i 

6  to     7 

not  including 

7 

ii 

7  to    8 

" 

8 

iii 

8  to    9 

" 

9 

iv 

9  to  10 

" 

10 

V 

10  to  11 

" 

11 

vi 

11  to  12 

« 

12 

vii 

12  to  13* 

" 

13 

viii 

13  to  14 

RETARDATION 

Septembei 

TABLE    ^ 

r    1915 

k'ii 

14 

grade 

below 

norma 

il    normal     over  age 

total 

per 

cent  over  age 

i 

12 

9 

11 

32 

34.3 

ii 

4 

9 

14 

27 

51.8 

iii 

4 

6 

17 

27 

62. 

iv 

3 

6 

16 

25 

64. 

v 

5 

3 

11 

19 

57.7 

vi 

4 

6 

4 

14 

28.4 

vii 

5 

8 

8 

21 

31.1 

viii 

2 

1 

3 

6 

50. 

total  39  48  84  171 

percentage  normal  or  under  age  50.9 

"  over  age  49.1 

There  will  always  be  over  age  pupils  in  our  schools  but  nearly 
50%  over  age  is  not  a  normal  condition.    It  is  much  too  high 

Table  vii  shows  that  children  entering  late  are  not  responsible 
for  the  high  over  age  percentage.  Only  two  grades,  6th  and  7th, 
have  a  lower  over  age  percentage  than  the  first  grade.  These 
grades  are  the  dropping-out  grades  as  noted  on  another  page. 
The  backward  children  usually  are  the  children  who  drop  out  so 
that  28.4%  or  31.1%  in  the  sixth  or  seventh  grades  is  far  more 
serious  than  34.3%  in  the  first  grade 

TABLE  viii 

DISTRIBUTION    OF    PUPILS   AS    SHOWN    BY   REGISTRATION    OF    PUPILS    IN 
SCHOOLS    MARCH     1916 

school                grade     i  ii  iii  iv        v      vi      vii     viii 

center  10        2  8  13        7                12                     52 

no    4  1  2        12  2             8 

no    5  3        11  3  19 

no    6  3  2  5        3                 3            16 

no    7  3        2  11  7 

no  11  15  3  3                 1                              13 

no  13  2  2  3                 4                     11 

no  14  2  3  3                                8 

no  15  13  3  2                           1                     10 

total  26      13      23      21       16      12      17        6  134 

11 


At  presert  (table  viii)  there  is  a  total  registration  of  134  in  the 
ten  school  buildings  of  North  Stonington.  The  median  attend- 
ance is  only  10.  In  other  words  there  are  four  schools  with  only 
nine  or  less  than  nine  pupils.  Needless  to  say  the  town  is  running 
too  many  school  plants.  This  is  partly  due  to  the  great  area  of 
the  town  but  that  is  not  the  only  cause.  The  town  will  never  get 
the  maximum  of  efficiency  from  its  schools  until  local  pride  and 
narroAy  thinking  are  replaced  by  town  spirit  and  complete  co- 
operation resulting  in  a  workable  plan  for  consolidation.  Trans- 
portation has  been  tried  and  many  believe  it  has  failed.  Many  who 
believe  this  undoubtedly  desired  to  reopen  their  own  district 
schools  and  looked  for  the  plan  to  fail.  If  all  concerned  would 
undertake  to  make  the  plan  succeed  it  would  succeed 


CHAPTER  v 

School  buildings  and  equipment 

SITES 

The  town  has  been  generous  in  providing  ample  play  ground  for 
every  school  except  one.  The  site  of  the  number  15  school  was  not 
well  chosen.  The  building  is  placed  on  a  cross-road  so  near  that  a 
driver  going  by  can  easily  touch  it  with  his  whip.  There  is  a  stone 
fence  enclosing  a  small  yard  just  large  enough  to  contain  double 
privies  and  a  pile  of  wood.  There  is  no  play  ground.  The  chil- 
dren must  play  in  the  road  or  on  private  property  if  they  play  at 
all.  The 'danger  of  playing  in  the  road  should  not  be  overlooked. 
Due  to  its  situation  the  approach  to  this  building  is  usually 
through  mud  or  dust 

BUILDINGS 

The  buildings  are  constructed  of  wood  and  though  they  vary  in 
size  each  has  a  seating  capacity  which  will  accommodate  all  who 
attend  at  the  present  time.  Many  of  the  buildings  are  much  larger 
than  necessary.  None  are  well  kept  and  in  good  repair.  Number  6 
needs  a  new  floor  in  the  school  and  entry.  Recently  a  new  floor 
was  laid  in  number  5.  The  floors  in  the  entries  of  number  4  and 
number  11  need  repairing.  Other  floors  are  worn  and  old  but  they 
are  not  so  much  in  need  of  attention.    All  should  be  oiled 

For  economy's  sake  if  for  no  other  the  exteriors  of  the  buildings 
need  paint  and  repairing.  The  roofs  are  in  good  condition  though 
number  4  and  number  2  will  soon  need  attention 

With  one  exception  the  interior  walls  and  ceilings  are  black  with 
the  dirt  and  smoke  of  ages.  The  woodwork  needs  paint  and  the 
plaster  needs  repair  and  whitewash  or  tinting.  The  one  exception 
is  the  Ashwillet  or  number  7  school.  The  interior  of  this  building 
is  neat  and  clean  mostly  due  to  the  teacher  who  has  at  his  own  ex- 
pense cleaned  up  and  painted  the  woodwork.  Especially  are  the 
•entries  most  uninviting  in  these  schools.  Plaster  is_  broken  and 
woodwork  scarred  and  hooks  broken,  scattered  or  entirely  missing 

Three  schools  have  woodsheds,  that  of  number  5  being  new  and 
in  good  condition,  those  of  number  2  and  number  14  being  old  and 
in  poor  condition.  At  other  schools  the  wood  is  thrown  in  the 
entry  or  in  piles  in  the  yard  where  it  is  unprotected. 

12 


PRIVIES 

For  sanitary  and  moral  reasons  no  closet  should  be  allowed  to 
remain  neglected.  Where  unwholesome  conditions  exist  in  the 
physical  side  of  the  school  plant  one  may  hope  for  very  little  from 
the  spiritual  side.  Poor  equipment  and  unsuitable  buildings  use  up 
the  energy  of  the  teachers  which  might  be  employed  otherwise. 
They  are  an  unnecessary  load.  The  teachers  as  a  rule  have  tried  to 
do  their  part  but  the  town  in  the  past  years  has  not  done  its  share. 
Happily  not  all  privies  are  in  bad  condition.  The  two  at  number  5 
are  new  and  in  good  condition.  Those  at  number  4,  number  7, 
number  13  and  the  girls'  at  number  14  need  repairs,  whitewash  or 
paint.  Those  at  number  2,  number  6,  number  11,  number  15  and  the 
boys'  privy  at  number  14  are  in  a  deplorable  condition  and  cannot 
be  approved.    That  they  are  worth  repairing  is  doubtful 

HEATING  AND  VENTILATING 

All  buildings  are  heated  by  wood-burning  stoves.  The  one  at 
number  5  has  only  three  legs,  a  stone  serving  for  the  .fourth  leg. 
The  stoves  at  number  7  and  the  primary  room  of  number  2  are 
not  good.  In  most  cases  the  pipe  is  poor  and  too  small  and  there- 
fore often  smokes.  Some  teachers  report  that  the  chimneys  are 
never  cleaned.  None  of  the  stoves  have  shields  surrounding  them 
to  protect  pupils  sitting  near  and  to  cause  a  circulation  of  air  and 
hence  an  even  temperature  throughout  the  entire  room.  Ventila- 
tioa  is  in  every  case  by  means  of  windows  and  doors.  Few  ven- 
tilating window  boards  are  furnished  to  protect  children  from 
draughts 

DESKS  AND  SEATS 

There  are  no  modern  adjustable  seats  and  desks  in  the  schools 
though  most  of  those  used  are  serviceable.  The  seats  at  number 
2  are  very  uncomfortable  as  they  lean  back  too  far.  Two  are 
broken.  Those  in  number  6,  number  7  and  number  11  are  all 
double  seats.  Most  of  those  in  number  15  are  double  and  in  num- 
ber 13  there  are  a  few  old  wooden  double  seats.  Seating  condi- 
tions are  poorest  in  number  2  grammar  number  6  and  number  15. 
Very  poor  teachers'  desks  are  supplied  at  number  5  number  7 
number  11  and  number  15  and  the  grammar  room  at  center 


There  should  be  at  least  two  good  chairs  in  each  room.  Number 
15  has  not  even  one  good  chair.  Few  of  the  others  have  more  than 
one 

CUPBOARDS  FOR  BOOKS  AND  SUPPLIES 

There  is  one  good  cupboard  in  the  primary  room  at  number  2. 
Other  buildings  are  not  so  well  furnished.  Every  teacher  needs  a 
large  cupboard  and  if  there  is  room  a  table  besides  her  desk 

WINDOW  SHADES 

These  are  old  and  in  poor  condition  in  number  4  number  5 
number  11    number  13  and  number  15 


13 


WALL   PICTURES 

In  no  case  have  suitable  framed  pictures  been  supplied  for  the 
walls 

In  many  of  the  buildings  the  old  platforms  once  used  in  schools 
are  still  retained.  These  should  be  removed  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity 

BLACKBOARDS 

Recently  a  small  wood  pulp  board, was  put  in  number  11  but  it  has, 
not  proved  satisfactory.  The  board  put  in  number  5  though  not  as 
satisfactory  as  slate  is  better  and  will  do  for  this  school  for  some 
time.  It  is  well  established  that  slate  is  the  best  and  in  the  long 
run  the  cheapest  blackboard.  By  careful  tests  it  has  been  found 
that  slate  blackboards  will  more  than  pay  for  the  added  cost  of 
installing  in  seven  years  by  saving  chalk  repairs  and  paper. 
Once  put  in  they  are  good  for  all  time.  They  have  educational  ad- 
vantages in  neatness,  in  teaching  writing  to  beginners  and  in  cor- 
recting pupil's  work  and  they  are  better  for  the  pupils'  eyes.  With 
the  exception  of  number  5  there  is  need  for  new  boards  in  every 
schoolroom  in  town.  In  each  school  half  of  this  board  should  be 
placed  as  low  as  26  inches  from  the  floor  to  permit  the  young 
children  to  use  it.     Thirty  inches  is  high  enough  for  any  board 

BOOKS  AND  SUPPLIES 

Books  are  supplied  free  to  children  but  not  in  sufficient  quantity. 
Many  of  the  regular  textbooks  are  old  and  in  poor  condition. 
Practically  speaking  no  supplementary  reading  material  has  been 
furnished.  Two  kinds  of  paper,  one  for  writing  and  one  for  arith- 
metic are  furnished  as  needed 

MAPS 

No  maps  have  been'  supplied  to  number  4   number  15  or  number  1 

DICTIONARIES 

Two  schools  number  11  and  number  14  have  no  satisfactory 
dictionaries.  Those  at  other  schools  are  small.  Every  school 
should  have  a  dictionary  of  at  least  medium  size 

NEEDED  REPAIRS  AND  IIMPROVEMENTS 

School  number  1 

1     slate  blackboard 
School  number  2 

1  exterior 

paint 

grading  around  entrance  or  additional  step 

roof  repaired 

2  interior 

plaster  repaired  and  tinted  or  whitewashed 

floor  scrubbed  and  oiled 

woodwork  painted 

windows  repaired 

more  hooks  placed  in  entries 

14 


3  privies 

boys' 

new  building  or  repairs 

new  seat  and  window  frames 

new  boards  replacing  old  or  broken  ones 

building  straightened 

paint  or  whitewash  inside,  paint  outside 

building  screened 

girls' 

window  panes 

new     partition    between     woodshed     and     other 
breaks  repaired 
paint  or  whitewash  inside    paint  outside 
buildings  screened 

4  woodshed 

repair 

new  privy  for  girls 

5  heating  and  ventilating 

new  stovepipe   where  needed 

new  stove  in  the  primary  room 

each   stove   removed   from  the    center  of   room   and 

jacketed 
window  boards  for  windows 

6  desks  and  seats 

grammar  room  new  seats  for  those  broken 

7  cupboards 

large  cupboards  for  books  and  supplies  in  gi'ammar 
room 

8  blackboards 

primary  room 

all  slate  4  ft  high,  26  inches  from  floor 

front  17  ft  3  in  and  10  ft  5  in 

sides  two  6  ft  6  in 
grammar  room 

two  6  ft  3i  in  by  6  ft 

9  apparatus 

globe 
door  mats 
thermometers 
wall  pictures 
School  number  4 

1  exterior 

paint 

roof  repaired 

2  interior 

ceiling  tinted 

floor  in  entry  repaired 

floor  oiled 

3  privies 

interior  whitewashed  or  painted 

4  heating   and   ventilating 

stove  removed  from  center  of  room  and  jacketed 
stovepipe  and  chimney  cleaned 
window  boards  furnished 

15 


5  cupboard 

one  large  cupboard 

6  window    shades 

new 

7  blackboards 

front  5  ft  7i  in  and  5  ft  both  4  ft  high 
2  to  4  boards  each  4  ft  10  in  by  4  ft 

8  apparatus 

door  mat 
thermometer 
wall  pictures 
map 
clock 

School  number  5 

1  exterior 

paint 

2  interior 

walls  and  ceiling  tinted 
wainscoting  painted 
floors  oiled 

3  heating    and    ventilating 

a  new  stove  or  parts  for  the  old  one 

stove    removed    from    center    of    room    and    jacketed 

window   boards 

4  desks 

new  teacher's  desk 

5  cupboard 

large  cupboard 

6  window  shades 

six  new  ones 

7  chair 

one  new  chair 

8  apparatus 

wall  pictures 
globe 
door  mat 
thermometer 
clock 

School  number  6 

1  exterior 

paint 

2  interior 

woodwork  painted 

walls  and  ceiling  repaired  and  tinted 

entry  plaster  repaired  and  painted 

more  hooks 

outside  door  repaired  or  new  one  and  new  locks 

new  floors 

platform  removed 

3  privies 

two  new  buildings 
buildings  screened 

16 


heating    and    ventilating 

stove  removed  from  center  of  room  and  jacketed 

ventilating  window  boards  furnished 
desks  and  seats 

bfoken  seat  repaired 

one  new  chair 
cupboard 

large  cupboard 
blackboards 

front  two  4  ft  8  in  and  one  5  ft  9  in    both  4  ft  high 

left  side  two  3  ft  8  in   4  ft  high 
apparatus 

globe 

door  mats  •■ 

thermometer 

wall  pictures 

clock 


School  number  7 
1     exterior 


paint 
interior 

new  floors 
privies 

interior  painted  or  whitewashed 
heating  and   ventilating 

stove  jacketed  and  new  parts 

ventilating  window  boards 
desks 

new  teacher's  desk 
cupboard 

large  cupboard 
blackboards 

front  7  ft  3  in  and  2  ft  by  4  feet  high 

side  two  each  3  ft  10  in  by  4  feet  high 
apparatus 

door  mat 

thermometer 

wall  pictures 

clock 


School  number  11 
1     exterior 


painted 
interior 

floors  repaired,  and  oiled 

walls  and  ceiling  repaired  and  tinted 
privies 

new- 
heating  and  ventilating 

stove  removed  from  center  and  jacketed 

chimney  cleaned  and  new  stovepipe 

ventilating  window  boards  furnished 

17 


5  blackboards 

front  6  ft  6  in 

side  two  6  ft  5  in  and  two  5  ft  6  in  all  4  feet  high 

6  window  shade 

new  shades  furnished 

7  apparatus 

door  mats 
thermometer 
clock 

wall  pictures 
teacher's  desk 
School  number  13 

1  exterior 

paint 

2  interior  . 

plaster  repaired  and  tinted 

floor  oiled 

new  entry  floor  and  walls  repaired  and  painted 

outer  front  door  repaired  or  replaced 

platform  removed 

3  privies 

sides  battened 

interior  painted  or  whitewashed 

4  heating  and  ventilating  , 

stove  removed  from  center  and  jacketed 

new  stove 

ventilating  window  boards 

5  window   shades 

new  shades  furnished 

6  blackboards 

front  9  ft  6  in  and  4  ft  8  in  each  4  feet  high 
sides   two  5  ft  6  in  each  4  feet  high 

7  apparatus 

door  mat 
thermometer 
clock 

wall  pictures 
School  number  14 

1  exterior 

painted 

2  interior 

walls  and  ceiling  tinted 
floor  oiled 

broken  windows  repaired   ' 
platforms  removed 

3  privies  * 

boys*   new 

girls'    repaired  and  interior  painted  or  whitewashed 

4  heating  and  ventilating 

new  pipe 

chimney  repaired  so  as  not  to  leak 

stove  removed  from  center  of  room  and  jacketed 

ventilating  window  boards 

18 


cupboard 

large  cupboard 

chairs 

one  new 

blackboards 

slate  front  6  ft  6  in  and  6  ft  2  in  each  4  feet  high 
sides  3  ft  3  in  and  3  ft  6  in  and  4  ft  and  3  ft  8  in 
4  ft  high 


8 

flag  rope 
new  rope 

9 

apparatus 
door  mat 
clock 

wall  pictures 
thermometer 

chool  number  15 

1 

exterior 

painted 

2  interior 

woodwork  painted   and   ceiling   repaired   and    tinted 

or  whitewashed 
floor  oiled 
front  door  repaired  or  replaced 

3  privies 

double  one  repaired  and  made  into  single  one 
new  one  constructed 

4  heating  and  ventilating 

new  stovepipe 

stove  removed  from  center  of  room  and  jacketed 

ventilating  window  boards 

5  desks 

new  teacher's  desk 

6  chairs 

new  chairs 

7  cupboard 

large  cupboard 

8  blackboards 

front  8  ft  2  in 

side  5  ft  6  in  and  two  5  ft 

all  4  feet  high 

9  apparatus 

door  mats 

maps 

clock 

wall  pictures 

thermometer 

CHAPTER   vi 

Teaching  force 

There  are  eleven  regular  teachers  now  in  the  schools  of  North 
Stonington.  Of  these  two  are  in  a  two  room  school  at  the  center 
and  nine  are  in  one  room  schools  in  different  parts  of  the  town 

19 


EXPERIENCE 

The  length  of  teaching  service  ranges  from  zero  to  seventeen 
years  and  is  distributed  as  follows 

3  teachers  have  had  no  experience 

3     .     "  u       u      J  year's  experience 

2  "  "       "     3      " 

1  teacher  has  had       8      " 

1        "  "      "  9      " 

1        "  "      "        17      "  w 

TRAINING 

No  teacher  in  North  Stonington  has  had  a  complete  normal 
school  training.  Five  have  attended  summer  normal  courses  in 
the  state.  Of  those  with  no  experience  before  this  year  only  one 
has  attended  a  summer  normal  school.  Ten  are  high  school  grad- 
uates, one  is  not.  The  town  has  established  no  definite  require- 
ments as  to  qualifications  which  a  teacher  must  have  before  her 
application  will  be  considered.  Only  one  teacher  in  the  town  has 
secured  a  state  certificate 

SALARIES 

Salaries  range"  from  $7  to  $12  per  week 
1  teacher  receives  $7  per  week 
5  teachers  receive  $8  per  week 

1  teacher  receives  $8.50  per  week 

2  teachers  receive  $9  per  week 

1  teacher  receives  $11  per  week 
1  teacher  receives  $12  per  week 

It  should  be  noted  that  over  fifty  per  cent  of  the  teachers  receive 
only  $8  or  less  per  week  and  that  over  eighty  per  cent  receive  $9 
or  less.  The  usual  and  most  common  salary  for  teachers  is  ^S. 
The  state  average  for  women  teachers  in  elementary  schools  is 
$62.08  per  month 

It  is  worth  while  to  note  the  most  common  salaries  paid  teachers 
in  surrounding  and  similar  towns  .. 

1  North  Stonington  $  8.00 

2  Preston  9.00 

3  Ledyard  9.00 

4  Sterling  11.00 

5  Voluntown  12.00 

6  Lisbon  12.50 

The  difference  in  salaries  is  given  above.  As  a  rule  the  town 
paying  the  highest  salaries  will  get  the  most  efficient  teachers 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  report  to  make  a  criticism  of  any 
individual  teacher.  It  is  rather  to  picture  the  general  conditions. 
North  Stonington  has  a  better  teaching  force  than  the  figures 
given  above  would  indicate.  This  is  true  because  many  of  the 
teachers  live  at  home  where  their  expenses  are  low  and  because  in 
spite  of  poor  equipment  and  low  salaries  the  teachers  in  general 
have  entered  into  their  work  with  one  desire — to  teach  well  and  to 
increase  their  efficiency 

The  normal  schools  of  the  state  do  not  supply  the  demand  of  the 
state  for  trained  teachers.  Towns  like  North  Stonington  must 
either  pay  a  high  price  for  normal  trained  graduates  or  train  their 

20 


own  teachers.  They  may  train  teachers  in  service  as  is  con- 
tinually being  done  in  all  towns  in  the  state  system  or  they  may 
require  all  who  have  had  no  training  or  experience  and  who 
wish  a  position  to  serve  as  apprentices  before  their  application  will 
be  considered.  They  should  do  both.  The  present  procedure  is 
very  costly.  The  salary  oflfered  is  as  low  as  they  can  get  any 
teacher  to  accept.  Teachers  accept  these  positions  with  no  inten- 
tion of  remaining  in  the  town  after  their  training  and  experience 
enable  them  to  secure  another  position.  Practically  the  only  ex- 
ceptions to  this  are  where  teachers  living  at  home  wish  to  remain 
there  regardless  of  professional  advancement.  The  prevailing 
policy  of  securing  and  paying  teachers  in  North  Stonington  results 
in  making  North  Stonington  schools  training  schools  for  teachers 
of  other  towns.  The  teachers'  expenses  are  paid  and  the  children  of 
the  towns  are  used  for  practice  purposes.  Children,  who  are  re- 
quired every  year  or  so  to  break  in  new  teachers  are  not  being  used 
rightly  unless  the  new  teacher  is  training  at  all  times  under  the 
watchful  eye  of  a  model  teacher.  This  condition  should  not  be 
continued  and  can  be  done  away  with  by  properly  adjusting  the 
salary  schedule  and  by  requiring  better  qualifications  of  new 
teachers.     With  this  in  view  the  following  suggestions  are  offered 

Salaries  should  be  paid  that  will  permit  no  good  teacher  to  leave 
for  another  town  unless  she  can  be  replaced  by  another  teacher 
equally  as  good  at  the  same  price 

Salaries  should  be  so  adjusted  that  the  following  qualifications 
may  be  required  of  new  teachers 

1  normal  training  or 

2  one  year's  experience  under  good  supervision  or 

3  six  months  apprenticeship  under  model  teacher 

4  in  every  case  the  holding  of  a  state  certificate 

The  center  school-  should  be  equipped  and  made  a  real  model 
school  where  anyone  wishing  to  teach  may  serve  as  an  apprentice 
under  the  following  or  similar  regulations  adopted  by  the  state 

1  The  number  of  apprentice  teachers  in  any  one  model 

school  shall  not  exceed  two  at  any  one  time 

2  No  person  shall  be  appointed  as  apprentice  teacher  un- 

til she  has  the  equivalent  of  a  high  school  education 
and  is  sixteen  years  old 

3  An  apprentice  teacher  must  be  approved  by  the  super- 

visor 

4  Apprentice  teachers   shall  be   at  the   school   every   day 

during  the  hours  school  is  in  session  unless  excused 
by  the  supervisor.  In  an  emergency  when  the  super- 
visor cannot  be  consulted  the  model  school  teacher 
may  excuse  the  apprentice  for  one  day 

5  The  teacher  shall  make  detailed  plans  for  the  first  week 

while  the  apprentice  teacher  observes 

6  Apprentice  teachers  shall 

a     make  charts — programs — fill  out  supervision  form 

12 — make  attendance  reports 
b    prepare   and    supervise    some    occupational    work 

each  day 

21 


c  teach  not  less  than  twenty  minutes  a  day  after 
the  first  week  and  may  teach  half  and  whole 
days  during  the  year  and  the  aggregate  teach- 
ing hours  for  the  year  shall  not  be  less  than 
fifty 

d     keep  a  register  duplicate  with  the  teachers 

e    keep  a  plan  book  of  her  own  lessons 

f     attend  teacher's  meetings 

g  take  charge  of  model  school  w'hen  teacher  is  ab- 
sent 

h  become  fully  acquainted  with  the  school  law  on. 
attendance — employment — school  diseases  and 
teachers'  certificates  and  shall  be  particularly 
informed  as  to  the  nature  of  the  teacher's  con- 
tract 

i      assist  in  supervision  of  playgrounds 

j  correct  papers — give  special  and  individual  in- 
struction to  children  designated  by  the  teacher 
and  perform  such  services  in  care  of  room,, 
making  charts  and  preparing  occupational 
work  as  the  supervisor  or  teacher  may  assign 
— placing  lessons  on  the  board 

k  read  carefully  at  least  one  book  of  professional 
nature  prescribed  by  the  supervisor 

1  at  the  end  of  the  year  take  the  state  teachers'" 
examinations 


CHAPTER  vu 
The   Wheeler  school  and  accommodations  for  upper  grade  students 

The  privately  endowed  Wheeler  school  receives  free  of  charge 
to  the  town  and  students  of  North  Stonington  all  high  school 
students  and  pupils  of  the  eighth  grade  who  are  in  good  standing, 
and  wish  to  attend  providing  they  pay  for  their  own  transporta- 
tion if  such  is  necessary 

In  his  talk  to  those  gathered  at  the  centennial  celebration  of 
North  Stonington  in  1907  Judge  Samuel  O  Prentice  said  concern- 
ing the  school  which  had  been  recently  established 

"Mr  Dwight  Wheeler  has  done  that  for  this  people  which  I 
doubt  not  they  highly  appreciate  but  are  there  not  some  who  have 
not  fathomed  the  full  depth  of  its  significance — have  not  dis- 
covered the  far  reaching  possibilities  which  lie  within  it?  It  is  a 
great  thing  for  such  a  community  as  this  or  any  community  that 
the  means  of  providing  its  children  with  the  best  of  education  are 
at  hand.  It  is  a  great  thing  that  there  should  come  into  a  com- 
munity like  this  such  a  means  of  intellectual  stimulus  and  uplift 
as  the  Wheeler  school  and  library  should  furnish.  It  is  a  great 
thing  that  a  community  like  this  should  have  at  command  the 
possibility  of  spreading  abroad  among,  its  farms  and  homes  the 
latest  knowledge  as  to  how  their  life  work  may  be  best  and  most 
profitably  conducted.  All  this  the  school  and  library  upon  the 
Wheeler  foundation  may  well  do  and  more.  It  will  mark  this 
town  as  one  to  which  families  may  come  with  the  assurance  that 
their  children  will  enjoy  the  best  educational  advantages  and  in 
which  a  refined  and  cultivated  environment  may  be  found.    It  will 

22 


as  the  years  roll  on  enter  into  the  life  of  this  community  in  in- 
numerable ways  to  uplift  and  elevate  it." 

At  this  same  meeting  Hon  Amos  A  Browning  said  "The  Wheeler 
school  and  library  has  but  just  begun  what  we  are  permitted  to 
hope  may  be  a  great  and  beneficent  work  as  a  teaching  and  edu- 
cating force — an  institution  that  may  bring  an  exceptional  distinc- 
tion to  this  town" 

Since  this  time  this  school  has  been  constantly  increasing  its 
equipment  and  capacity  and  therefore  its  efficiency  yet  its  sphere  of 
influence  does  not  reach  all  in  the  town.  After  nearly  nine  years 
Professor  E  H  Cameron,  state  inspector  of  high  schools  in  his  re- 
port to  the  state  board  of  education  says 

"It  is  unfortunate  that  the  "^school  does  not  reach  and  hold  a 
larger  number  of  pupils  of  its  own  town  who  finish  the  grammar 
grades.  The  reason  for  this  is  rather  difficult  to  determine.  Un- 
der like  circumstances  one  usually  finds  that  the  school  is  not 
offering  training  suitable  to  the  needs  of  its  constituency.  This 
does  not  seem  to  be  true  here 

"Besides  the  usual  college  preparatory  courses  the  school  offers 
a  general  course  including  work  in  science,  agriculture,  household 
arts  and  printing.  The  teachers  of  the  academic  and  vocational 
sides  are  well-trained  and  enthusiastic  and  are  doing  good  work 

"The  reason  given  by  the  principal  to  account  for  the  small  num- 
ber reached  is  the  inaccessibility  of  the  school.  If  this  is  the  real 
reason  it  would  appear  that  the  town  of  North  Stonington  is  de- 
priving many  of  its  pupils  of  the  privilege  of  a  good  high  school 
training  by  not  providing  transportation  facilities" 

Although  the  Wheeler  school  is  efficiently  operated  by  com- 
petent teachers  it  is  not  serving  the  town  as  Judge  Prentice  and 
Mr  Browning  eloquently  predicted  in  1907  for  the  town  has  ap- 
parently not  realized  its  great  opportunity  and  has  not  accepted  in 
full  the  offering  of  this  school  to  its  school  population  and  to  the 
town  in  general 

As  it  is  now  there  are  two  school  systems  in  the  town  offering 
eighth  grade  courses  and  neither  is  running  to  its  full  capacity. 
The  town  would  be  better  off  financially  if  they  kept  all  their 
eighth  grade  pupils  in  their  own  schools  for  as  the  town  takes  no 
part  in  the  running  and  upkeep  of  the  Wheeler  school  it  receives 
no  aid  from  the  state  for  the  schooling  of  the  pupils  who  go  there. 
But  this  would  be  neglecting  to  take  advantage  of  the  well  equip- 
ped plant  of  the  Wheeler  school 

The  town  furnishes  no  transportation  to  pupils  residing  at  a 
distance  from  the  school.  The  state  assists  in  transportation  to 
out  of  town  high  schools  in  towns  having  no  such  schools  of  their 
own.  Thus  pupils  of  North  Stonington  living  at  a  distance  from 
the  Wheeler  school  have  not  the  school  accomrhodations  of  pupils 
in  towns  with  no  high  school 

The  trustees  of  the  Wheeler  school  and  the  town  of  North  Ston- 
ington should  come  to  some  agreement  whereby  the  school  could 
be  controlled  jointly  by  the  town  school  committee  and  the  board 
of  trustees  to  the  extent  that  the  seventh  and  eighth  grade  and 
high   school  pupils-  could   be   accommodated   by   one   system  only, 

23 


that  transportation  from  all  parts  of  the  town  could  be  furnished 
and  that  such  aid  from  the  state  could  be  received  as  is  usual  for 
town  school  systems 

CHAPTER  viii 
The,  course  of  study  and  achievement  of  children 

The  first  test  of  the  usefulness  of  any  school  system  is  in  the 
achievement  of  the  pupils.  This  involves  the  selection  of  subject 
matter  and  the  quality  and  quantity  mastered 

The  state  course  of  study  is  a  development  of  many  years.  It 
is  not  a  copy  of  one  course  of  study  nor  a  copy  of  parts  of  many 
courses  of  study  but  a  result  of  experience  in  which  practical  use- 
fulness has  determined  whether  subject  matter  should  stay  or  go. 
Though  it  is  not  a  copy,  those  who  have  been  in  charge  have  been 
mindful  of  what  has  been  going  on  in  other  systems,  hopeful  of 
finding  something  to  meet  the  requirements  of  conditions  in  Con- 
necticut For  the  convenience  of  teachers  it  has  been  laid  out  in 
standards  and  stages,  not  to  tie  any  teacher  but  to  make  the  work 
more  definite.  The  quality  of  school  work  improves  as  the 
teacher's  knowledge  of  just  what  she  intends  to  teach  and  when 
she  has  taught  it  becomes  more  definite  and  clear.  Random  in- 
struction or  dependence  on  the  inspiration  of  the  moment  is  as 
wasteful  of  time  and  energy  as  such  a  procedure  would  be  in  any 
other  business.  The  regulation,  guidance  and  inspiration  of  the 
work  of  all  the  teachers  is  a  part  of  the  duty  of  any  supervisor 
or  superintendent.  The  testing  and  determining  of  results  is  an- 
other part  of  his  duty.  That  the  children  of  North  Stonington  are 
of  intelligence  equal  to  the  average  is  shown  by  the  results  of 
the  Trabue  language  test.  (See  appendix)  This  is  a  test  of  gen- 
eral language  ability  and  requires  some  general  experience.  North 
Stonington  children  stand  high  in  this 


Trabue  language  test  results.    Median  score  given  with  20  possi- 
ble points 


standards 

iv 

V 

vi 

vii 

North   Stonington 

10.1 

10.4 

11.0 

12.0 

Ledyard 

9. 

11. 

13.0 

Preston 

10.2 

10.1 

10.2 

12.2 

Voluntown 

10.1 

10.5 

10.5 

11.0 

Lisbon 

9.0 

10.5 

9.4 

12.8 

Sterling 

8.4 

8.9 

9.8 

12.2 

The  results  of  an  English  dictation  test   (see  appendix)   were  not 
so  good 

24 


TABLE   X 

English  dictation  test  results.     Possible  points     lOO 
9  year  children  11  year  children  13  year  children 


Preston 

Lisbon 

Ledyard 

N  Stonington 

Saybrook 

Voluntown 

Sterling 


82.6 
79.8 
79.4 
74.0 
71.9 
69.3 
67.5 


Lisbon 

Saybrook 

Preston 

Ledyard 

Sterling 

Voluntown 

N    Stonington 


91.4 
85.9 
84.6 
83.6 
81.3 
80.3 
77.5 


Saybrook 

Ledyard 

Lisbon 

Sterling 

Voluntown 

Preston 

N    Stonington 


98.9 
90.9 
90.8 
90.1 

88.7 
87.4 
83.1 


The  arithmetic  results  were  not  good  though  in  both  progress  is 
shown  from  age  to  age 


TABLE  XI 


Arithmetic  test  results.     Possible  points     30 


11  year  children 

Saybrook  24.0 

Lisbon  21.5 

Ledyard  21.3 

(state  average)  18.6 

Sterling  18.6 

Preston  17.5 

Voluntown  13.2 

North  Stonington  12.6 


13  year  children 
Lisbon 
Sterling 
Saybrook 
(state  average) 
Ledyard 

North   Stonington 
Preston 
Voluntown 


26.6 
25.8 
23.5 
23.1 
23.1 
21.6 
20.2 
18.8 


CHAPTER    IX 

Cost  and  financial  records 

The  business  of  running  schools  being  one  o-f  the  largest,  if  not 
the  largest  undertaking  of  any  community,  brings  the  question  of 
costs  to  the  attention  of  all  taxpayers.  Owing  to  the  lack  of  a 
common  system  of  accounting  it  is  difficult  to  make  an  accurate 
comparison  of  the  costs  of  North  Stonington  schools  with  the 
costs  of  schools  in  other  towns.  The  only  figures  available  are 
those  found  in  state  board  of  education  reports 


TABLE  Xll 

cost  per  child 

town 

enumera- 

average 

enumerated 

in  average  attendance 

per  ce 

tion 

attendance 

1914-1915    1905-1906 

increa 

Litchfield 

697 

420 

$30.50 

$50.62            $30.41 

66.4 

Voluntown 

170 

122.54 

30.31 

42.06              21.32 

97. 

Sterling 

281 

191.68 

26.95 

39.56              15.20 

160. 

Sharon 

370 

283 

29.80 

38.97             27.16 

43.4 

Salisbury 

731 

377 

19.25 

37.33             25.46 

46.6 

Newtown 

528 

403 

27.62 

36.18             22.80 

58.6 

Lisbon 

218 

140.98 

22.23 

34.38              24.41 

40. 

Ledyard 

259 

155.42 

20.60 

34.33              23.26 

47. 

No    Stonington 

271 

140.29 

17.54 

33.88              24.87 

36. 

Glastonbury 

1115 

875 

22.35 

28.48             20.23 

40.7 

Preston 

234 

134.18 

15.22 

26.54              19.92 

33. 

New  Milford 

1208 

918 

18.08 

23.79             16.37 

45.3 

25 


It  may  be  noted  (Table  xii)  that  in  comparison  with  other 
towns  North  Stonington  is  not  expending  a  great  amount  for  the 
education  of  its  children  only  three  towns  among  those  in  the  list 
paying  less  per  pupil  in  average  attendance 

In  common  with  other  things  the  cost  of  education  is  increasing. 
The  increase  in  cost  per  pupil  in  average  attendance  in  1915  over 
the  cost  per  pupil  in  average  attendance  in  1906  ranges  from  33% 
to  160%  in  the  towns  listed  above.  The  cost  has  not  increased  in 
North  Stonington  as  in  other  towns 

It  is  recommended  that  a  new  form  of  bookkeeping  be  used  so 
that  each  item  of  expenditure  may  be  classified  in  its  proper  place 
and  be  properly  proportioned  among  the  different  schools.  A  form 
recommended  by  the  state  board  of  education  will  be  sent  upon 
request 

With  such  a  system  of  bookkeeping  it  would  be  possible  to  de- 
termine the  per  pupil  cost  of  instruction  the  cost  of  any  form  of 
service  or  supply  and  to  check  wastes  wherever  they  might  be 
found 

CHAPTER  X 

State  aid 

Not  all  the  expense  of  schools  is  borne  directly  by  the  tax- 
payers. Through  the  enumeration  and  average  attendance  grants 
the  towns  having  proper  qualifications  in  size,  grand  list,  instruc- 
tion and  equipment  receive  each  year  support  from  the  state.  The 
purpose  of  these  grants  is  not  to  relieve  the  towns  of  the  burden 
of  educating  their  children  but  to  assist  them  in  having  better 
schools.  Few  towns  have  a  greater  percentage  of  their  school  ex- 
penses paid  by  the  state  than  the  town  of  North  Stonington 


TABLE  xni 

town 

per  cent  of  school  expenditure  paid  by  state 

Sharon 

7.5 

Glastonbury 

10.0 

Litchfield 

11.1 

Salisbury 

11.3 

New  Milford 

12.6 

Say brook 

35.8 

Preston 

39.8 

North  Stonington 

41.3 

Voluntown 

47.3 

Sterling 

49.7 

Ledyard 

61.9 

Lisbon 

65.6 

The  average  attendance  grant  is  based  on  average  attendance  in 
the  schools.  The  state  pays  $25.00  for  every  child  in  average  at- 
tendance over  and  above  a  certain  number,  determined  by  the 
grand  list  of  the  town.  In  other  words,  if  the  schools  are  in  ses- 
sion one  hundred  eighty  days  a  year  the  state  pays  over  thirteen 
cents  for  each  day's  attendance  over  and  above  the  required  num- 
ber. As  noted  on  another  page  the  possible  attendance  in  the 
North  Stonington  schools  for  the  year  1914-1915  was  167.2  or  27 
more  than  the  actual  attendance.     This  means  that  the  town  might 

26 


have  received  $675.00  more  from  the  state  had  its  attendance  been 
perfect.  It  is  unreasonable  to  expect  perfect  attendance  but  it  is 
not  unreasonable  to  expect  better  attendance  than  that  in  the 
schools  of  North  Stonington  and  any  reasonable  step  of  the  town" 
toward  better  equipment,  more  cheerful  and  sanitary  buildings, 
consolidation  of  schools  and  transportation  of  pupils  with  this 
end  in  view  should  be  of  financial  benefit 


CHAPTER   XI 

Conclusions  and  recommendations 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  said  that  the  town  of  North  Stonington 
is  unprogressive  in  matters  coru:erning  its  children  and  schools 

Its  school  buildings  are  poor  and  inadequately  equipped 

Textbooks  are  usually  scarce  and  practically  no  supplementary 
reading  material  is  furnished 

Many  of  the  teachers  have  had  insufficient  professional  training. 
Otherwise  they  would  not  remain  in  the  town  for  the  general 
policy  has  been  to  pay  the  lowest  possible  price  for  teachers 

There  are  too  many  small  costly  schools  in  the  town  because 
the  question  of  consolidation  has  not  been  solved 

Comparatively  speaking  not  much  money  is  spent  on  the  schools 

It  is  difficult  to  check  up  wastes  under  the  present  system  of 
cost  accounting 

The  attendance  of  the  children  ought  to  be  improved.  Their 
progress  through  the  grades  has  been  slow.  Their  achievement  as 
shown  by  tests  is  not  of  first  rank 

It  is  possible  for  North  Stonington  to  have  good  schools  with 
very  little  increase  in  cost.  After  the  needed  repairs  are  made  and 
equipment  furnished  the  running  expenses  need  not  be  much 
higher  under  proper  management.  A  few  good  schools  can  be 
maintained  with  about  the  same  money  that  the  town  is  now  pay- 
ing for  many  fair  or  poor  schools.  With  this  in  view  the  follow-  • 
ing  recommendations  are  respectfully  submitted  a^^ 

1  That   the    system   of    electing    the    town    school    com- 

mittee  be   changed    so    that   it   may   be    possible     to 
change  only  a  part  of  its  membership  each  year 

2  That  all  buildings  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  repaired 

as  specified  on  another  page 

3  That    all    buildings    be    equipped    with     adequate     slate 

blackboards 

4  That    where    possible    small    schools    be    closed.      There 

is  no  need  of  more  than  one  school  in  the  northwest- 
ern part  of  the  town  nor  in  the  Laurel  Glen  and 
Clark's  Falls  districts.  Number  5  can  be  closed  and  ^ 
children  easily  sent  to  the  center  and  to  number  6. 
It  is  possible  to  close  number  4.  The  present,  when 
extensive  repairing  is  needed,  is  a  good  time  to 
close  these  schools 

27 


5  That  wall  maps  and  dictionaries  be  supplied  in  schools 

not  already  supplied 

6  That  sets  of  supplementary  reading  books  be  purchased 

7  That  a  change  be  made  in  the  policy  of  training,  hiring 

and  paying  teachers 

8  That  a  new  system  of  cost  accounting  be  adopted 

In  conclusion  it  should  be  emphasized  that  before  passing  judg- 
ment on  these  recommendations  the  full  report  should  be  studied 
carefully  by  all  interested.  All  figures  can  be  verified  and  in- 
vestigation of  the  school  property  of  the  town  will  show  the  need 
of  the  repairs  recommended 


28 


APPENDIX 

EXHIBIT  A 
Trabue  language  scale  B 
Write  only  one  word  on  each  blank 
Time  limit  seven  minutes  name 

1     We  like  good  boys girls 

6    The is  barking  at  the  cat 

8    The  stars  and  the will  shine  tonight 

22  Time often    more    valuable money 

23  The  poor  baby as  if  it  were sick 

31     She if   she  will 

35     Brothers   and   sisters t-: always 

to  help other  and  should quarrel 

38     weather   usually a    good 

effect one's  spirits 

48     It  is  very  annoying  to     tooth-ache, 

often  comes  at  the  most 

time  imaginable 
54     To friends    is   always 

the it  takes 

EXHIBIT  B  . 

Arithmetic  test 

Test  for  eleven  and  thirteen  year  old  children 

i  Arrange   and   add       20.12    3.276    580.9    .7643    5478    .09763 

ii  Multiply      7.096  by  20.8 

iii  83.7  divided  into  426.033 

iv  19  2/7  —  8  5/9 

v  31  divided  by  I 

Test  in  English  composition 
(Give  pupils  12  minutes) 

Dictation  for  pupils  9,  11  and  13  years  of  age  on  February  8 
Pass  sheet  I  to  the  respective  pupils  and  dictate  the  following 
sentences 

Pronounce  each  sentence  very  clearly  and  but  once 

Sentences  Values 

1  Does  John  know  which  pencil  to  use?  16 

2  No,  he  is  writing  with  Mary's  pencil  18 

3  The  fourth  day  of  the  week  is  Wednesday  18 

4  You  and  I  wear  shoes  12 

5  Whose  knife  is  this?  10 

6  The  scholars  all  said,  "Two  and  two  are  four"  26 

100 

Two  per  cent  has  been  Assigned  to  each  word  and  punctuation 
mark  in  these  sentences.  Deduct,  therefore,  two  per  cent  for  each 
mistake,  or  omission,  or  addition 

29 


4:j4092     a 


UNIVERSlTif  OF  CALIFORNIA  UBRARY 


